“Louisianimal” – Lil Wayne’s 20 Best Songs Of All-Time

Rolling Stone has deemed Tha Carter IIIthe best Hip-Hop album of the year. MTV has called “A Milli” the best Hip-Hop song of the year. The latest chapter in Tha Carter series has gone cabillion platinum. Like it or not, history has painted Tha Carter III as a modern day classic marking Lil’ Wayne’s arrival.

But this is only the latest transgression in Lil’ Wayne revisionist history. Many act as though he crash landed from Mars right around when Dedication 2 dropped. The fact is, Lil’ Wayne has had a career spanning roughly a decade. During that time, he’s at worse been an above average MC with a grand catalog of great solo songs. After revisiting literally over 450 songs, here is the definitive career-spanning list of the top 20 Lil’ Wayne solo songs.

It would be real nice to see it one one. Any chance? You guys are making me work on xmas eve.

JK

Thx

By: Sean

12.24.2008 @ 6:21 PM

I’m lazy as hell. Who’s gonna bundle all these up?

By: andrew

12.24.2008 @ 6:41 PM

“tie my hands” is my pick among the favorites-not-included.

By: Benny Blanco

12.24.2008 @ 6:50 PM

every weezy track ive ever bumped a lot is on here accept La La La that Primo beat with the high pitched la la la shit that song is Dope

By: TC

12.24.2008 @ 6:57 PM

No reason for Carter III to be on anybody’s top ten list this year unless you’re a bonafide stan. As usual, solid year for albums.

By: Douglas Howser

12.24.2008 @ 7:00 PM

Too bad “Diamonds and Girls” has a featured artist… that would be in my top 20.

Congrats on breaking 500+ songs into a top 20 though. lol

That shit had to be tough than a muhfucka!

By: David D.

12.24.2008 @ 7:12 PM

^lol yea it took a lil bit of work but I’m mostly a fan, so it was a pleasure. However, some of the recent stuff turned my brain to mush like that episode of Boondocks where Huey watched BET for a week or something lol

By: TC

12.24.2008 @ 7:21 PM

Don’t forget our Weezy convos…

By: OED aka Sole Brother #1

12.24.2008 @ 7:41 PM

Choices of instruments to trim the numbers from 500+ to 20:

Machete
Axe
Meat Cleaver

(A scalpel was never, ever seriously considered)

By: OED aka Sole Brother #1

12.24.2008 @ 7:44 PM

^ On another note, good post.

By: OnTheBanksoftheRedCedar

12.24.2008 @ 8:01 PM

Take out Dr. Carter and put in Dying and those are my top 5 in a different order. Well done sir.

add fly out, outstanding, la la, something you forgot, and best rapper alive and you would have my rough top 25.

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 8:05 PM

No reason for Carter III to be on anybody’s top ten list this year unless you’re a bonafide stan.
========================================================
To downplay TCIII’s impact this year would be a huge oversight. You ain’t gotta love it, but you gotta respect it.

By: Lola P

12.24.2008 @ 8:07 PM

LOVE the selection
I play 80% of those records posted (and more obviously) when I’m going through my Weezy cravings. I also love “Lighting up my ( La La La)” “Mr. Postman”, “Something you forgot”, and “Prostitute Flange”…I like the mellow Weezy…it works for him.

By: Boogie Tonight's Hearts J*Davey

12.24.2008 @ 8:15 PM

*weezy suks beetchees* walks out room Head Held HIGH

By: TC

12.24.2008 @ 8:16 PM

But as one of the ten best? C’mon. I didn’t say it need not be recognized but think of the album’s that were the talk of world when they dropped like 2001, Hard Knock Life, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, Marshall Mathers LP…and ask yourself what did the Carter really accomplish exactly.

U sell a milli the first week and fizzle out @ almost 3? The music wasn’t strong enough to carry the album when the intiial, expected hype died down

By: Triple O.G. Teef aka Dentures

12.24.2008 @ 8:18 PM

Heck is a prostitute flange? lol That phrase makes me laugh

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 8:27 PM

^ LOL…leave it to Teefus =)

And I agree witcha TC, but to an extent. Is The Carter III on the level of the classics you mentioned? No. But in an era of diminished sales & lowered expectaions, for some reason the average consumer was drawn to this album. I don’t even know if it makes my top ten of the year, but there’s a bunch of people who feel different & who am I to tell em they’re buggin. Somehow this album has managed to connect with people in a way that few do. Even though I feel different, I can’t just discount the people who hail it as the album of the year. For it to even be mentioned as such says something.

And no “Real Rap” on that list? Really? One of the more emotional songs in Wayne’s catolog & my personal “Exhibit A” when cats start talking that mess like Wayne has no depth. Other than that oversight, pretty thorough list. Fact is, it’s damn near impossible to make a definitive top 20, cause dude has such a large body of work, most of it being up to par both lyrically & production wise. Props to Dub D for even attempting to do so.

prostitute flange must refer to the battered labia of a high-mileage concubine

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 8:38 PM

Oh…Real Rap = Cry Now

How could I doubt you Dub D lol. (Even though I really eff with the alternate version with the harder instro (nh)), I stand corrected.

By: TC

12.24.2008 @ 8:42 PM

@ Amp

Yeah, I’m not saying it didn’t deserve any spins or even to get purchased, but if you got bumped it nonstop and missed out on some of the more quality releases of the year, then how credible is that list?

By: David D.

12.24.2008 @ 8:46 PM

@ Amp- yea don’t question me, homie! lol
And for the record, I was incredibly disappointed with TC3 cuz I was expecting a really great album. But I understand what happened. He made an album that was necessary for 3x plat. Everyone likes at least 3 songs off the album. For instance, ride around in the whip with your girl and between the two of you, you’ve listened to the whole album. It did what it needed. So it’s impact was more undeniable than its quality. (Get Rich or Die Trying anyone?). But as you can see, he did have some great songs on that album.

By: OED aka Sole Brother #1

12.24.2008 @ 8:47 PM

…all these songs and no CLASSIC album though?

Dude is MacGrady.

Been around “forever”, OCCASIONAL flashes of exceptional talent, but…….

never comes through when it matters, routinely gets outshined in the presence of other “all-stars”.

I can’t get caught up into sales as they relate to an albums “greatness”.
TOO many albums catts consider “classic” never sold squat in their first, second, or 30th weeks, but their albums had longevity for yearrrrrrrs

dont really agree with the order, but these are prolly the tracks that I would choose too, and with the reasons to back it up……good job David

Whats the deal with that new Mythblazers that was supposed to drop? Did I just miss that or did those stoners just space out again……anyways lookin forward to it

peace

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 8:51 PM

I feel ya, TC.

No way do I think it’s album of the year. There’s damn near an easy 9 or 10 albums ahead of it in terms of consistent quality throughout.
Rolling Stone must have a line on that OG Kush or somethin’ lol.

And not to step on David’s toes, but I think this version is more effective at conveying the emotion in the lyrics. I had a NODJ/CDQ version before the “Great Crash of ’08”, so unless someone’s holding, try to ignore Big Mike & listen up….

*hi 5 for OED*
MAN! I made the same. exact. comparison. the day the album came out. Dude is definitely McGrady. Yea a triple double is good for some no name, but if you wanna be considered up there with Jordan or someone, you gotta win the big one. And Wayne hasn’t had the great album yet. But, IMO Carter I and II were great albums that didn’t get enough attention. He just hasn’t had a Reasonable Doubt or something to cement his legacy.

By: Triple O.G. Teef aka Dentures

12.24.2008 @ 8:55 PM

Yeah, take Rolling Stone’s uninformed proclamations with a grain of salt.

Unless they’ve immersed their ear canals with soundwaves from ALL releases, there’s only so much validity I can give them

I’ve ALWAYS felt that motherfuckers who don’t live, breathe, eat, and shit hip-hop have no right making claims that influence how lamestream fools perceive and receive us

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 8:56 PM

it’s impact was more undeniable than its quality
=================================
In a nutshell.

I still think that he has a classic album in him. It’s just up in the air if he’ll ever be lucid enough to deliver it.

By: TC

12.24.2008 @ 8:57 PM

Get Rich’s and Carter III’s impact are no way, now how parallel. All those albums I named propelled those artists to be bigger than music. Gave ’em the golden touch. Wayne does collabos with Tyga and G. Malone and nobody still pays them any mind. He still hasn’t broken the mold yet. Its gonna take a great album to do so.

By: TC

12.24.2008 @ 9:04 PM

That McGrady comparison is great

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 9:05 PM

Wayne does collabos with Tyga and G. Malone and nobody still pays them any mind.
================================
Even though I agree that TCIII is no “Get Rich…”, I think the fact that Wayne stands next to some MC’s & they still don’t get any pub says more about those other MC’s then it does about Wayne. I don’t think a 50 fresh off of “Get Rich…” could make me dislike Tyga or Mack Maine any less.

By: Black Canseco

12.24.2008 @ 9:09 PM

TC,

Common’s done great albums. Classics—with an “s”. Yet who’s gotten on because of ‘sheed? Who’d gotten on because of Q-Tip? It’s a long list along that tangent, fam.

I’m not a Wayne apologist by any stretch, but…

Wayne’s in a great space right now. He’s the mainstream’s favorite backpackrapper. He’s where I thought The Clipse would get–mainstreamers would fall in love with the smarter-than-i-thought lyricism, take comfort in their d-boy extended excursions and chalk every other disconnect up to white guilt and hail them as people’s champs.

But, Jive went and effed it up. Again.

But Wayne’s in that pocket right about now… We’ll excuse all his deficiencies as “experimentation” and “hood scars”.

In short, he’s my generation’s Basquiat. He’s kinda wack and we all know it. even he knows that half his stuff shouldn’t see the light of day; but as long as he calls it art and does the “artist” thing, he’ll get a pass. It’s payback for all the rest who get slept on and hailed for all the wrong reasons.

By: Triple O.G. Teef aka Dentures

12.24.2008 @ 9:10 PM

The dumbfucks who claim TCIII as a classic, Top 10, or whatever probably couldn’t recite entire songs or hum melodies/basslines from RD, RTD, Illmatic, GRODT, Low End Theory, yaddayaddayadda, name-dropping classics is SO tired

Those albums dominated and shaped the collective consciousness of hip-hop

Just cuz Wayne is a high-profile/high-visibility artist don’t make TCIII classic material

By: Black Canseco

12.24.2008 @ 9:12 PM

Everybody Say Ho! Mix:

This Christmas mix is thicker than frozen eggnog. I’m bumpin’ it right now. It’s magically delicious–old school christmas hiphop and feel good rhythms.

Unfortunately it appears Wayne’s career may follow the same course as T-Macs, b/c just like age (injuries) takes its’ toll on athletes, hip-hop fans get sick of you QUICKLY when you’ve been in the spotlight too long.

By: Triple O.G. Teef aka Dentures

12.24.2008 @ 9:12 PM

It’s been said before, I DO give credit to Wayne’s Tupacian work-ethic

Hey Gotty, I said Tupacian

By: Black Canseco

12.24.2008 @ 9:14 PM

Everybody say HO!
Braille from the Lightheaded crew complied a holiday mix thrown down by my man Ohmega Watts titled “Everybody Say HO!!!”. It’s named after their Christmas party going down in Portland, OR and Seattle, WA this month. ENJOY!!!! Listen to the mix.

Both those dudes inspired a whole legion of MCs. Damn near birthed their own subgenres off the strength of their workings. That’s bigger than signing artists but if we’re talking specifics= Consequence and the markability of a producer named Dilla

However. That’s not the argument here.

I’m well aware of the space he’s in. That’s the main reason he went plat first week out. “Lollipop” and “A Milli” could have been last album and “Fireman” could have seen this one through. It was his time. His work ethic had boosted his popularity and hype to where the spotlight was all on his dreds. The people were demanding an album (nother indicator why mixtapes are NOT the apex for all my fellow TSS Crew who convinced themselves otherwise) and what they got, was satisfactory but not the complete package to elevate him into a King of this hurr rap thang ya underdig home skillet?

By: TURK a.k.a The Gravie Says It All

12.24.2008 @ 9:47 PM

CAN YA’LL PLEASE USE A DIFFERENT PIC OF DUDE????!!! Its bad enough that i cant stand his voice and music!!!!

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 9:49 PM

Anybody know the name of that CD with the kids singing cover songs? Copped the pink iPod Shuffle for Babygirl & I need some songs to throw on there.
As kid friendly as it’s title sounds, “Lollipop” ain’t getting no where near my daughter lol.

By: word?

12.24.2008 @ 10:17 PM

others id include:
block burner
famous
sky is the limit/ride for my niggaz
you nasty
young, rich and dangerous

that one that plays over show me what you got on drought is incredible
fireman has to be in the top 10 for sure
about 20 others to make the top 20 haha

anything off dedication 2

and i think carter 2 i slightly below classic, its really fucking sick
theres not really a bad track on it, but he does seem a little held back
smarter but not as hungry as his hot boys shit

his best albums drought 3 in my opinion, plus get it how you live but that of course is group

i havent even heard carter 3 yet other than the 13 million singles
comfortable is really sick though

By: Black Canseco

12.24.2008 @ 10:50 PM

hear you, TC…

You gotta be in it to win it, so by no means can i ever knock Weezy’s studio dedication. Quality/quantity control would be nice, but at least he has the luxury of that problem, you know what i mean?

tho on another tangent, i wonder about Dilla’s rep these days.

Is it just cool and hip to say you like Dilla or do people really feel that now that he’s gone? I mean, unless you were a real Roots fan or a Pharcyde head, most folks didn’t know who he was or his work. Slum Vill were regionally popular at best, even after “tainted”.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the dude’s work (i’m partial to his Pharcyde and Roots work, myself.) but it just smells of neo-hipsterism to fawn over the guy’s work now. It’s like i never heard him on anybody’s list when he was breathing. Other than Quest, Talib and Comm, who else was really hailing Dilla and throwing regular checks his way for album work?

am i wrong? am i hatin’? lemme know.

I just wonder if it’s just the cool thing to be on.

By: millionsdizzle

12.24.2008 @ 10:53 PM

not a bad list. however, a lot is missing. 4 example, i think shine shouldve been somewhere in there.

as well as…im kinda drunk. fuck it

By: AmpGeez a.k.a. Legalize it

12.24.2008 @ 11:08 PM

Other than Quest, Talib and Comm, who else was really hailing Dilla and throwing regular checks his way for album work?
===========================
Throw Busta’s name in that hat.

And the whole “Is Dilla Overrated?” topic has been touched on before. It kinda started in the comments here…

Janet, E. Badu…and his joints w/the artists you mentioned is enough unto itself….but aside from them, Dilla was never one to whore himself out to the “conventional hit” and was content doing his thing under the radar as an underground artist, back when an “underground” still existed (pre-internet popularity).

By: Black Canseco

12.24.2008 @ 11:10 PM

Thx AMP/OED…

I missed out on those convos–need to take my meds more often i guess.

By: OED aka Sole Brother #1

12.24.2008 @ 11:13 PM

pass me some of them meds.

By: OED aka Sole Brother #1

12.24.2008 @ 11:16 PM

This Marsha Ambrosius/Cannon mixtape is pretty damn dope.

A problem w/ drops? Sheeeit.
I’ve rocked this joint 3 times in a row tonight.

By: Boogie Tonight's Hearts J*Davey

12.24.2008 @ 11:19 PM

@ Amp
Kidz Bop I think is what you are looking for the little one… Disney versions